Monday, December 28, 2009

Field Trip: Exploring Liberty Park in Winter

I've been eating like a jolly old elf...sugar and sweets and yummy rich meats, which are encasing my ribs in fat.

Time to start walking again.

And exploring Salt Lake City as well. Or as I have come to call it: Going on a field trip.

Come along with me if you'd like!

I've driven past Liberty Park many times and wanted to stop to have a look around.

While Monday was quite cold, there was no wind or snowfall, so off I went for an adventure.

At one end of the park is a pond which was mostly iced over, but still had a nice collection of waterfowl which quacked and honked and chuckled at me as I walked.

I kept thinking of Sweden....Iceland...Finland...and wondered if flying for hours would afford me a better wintry view.

This view was a mere fifteen minutes from home. For now...I think it will do.

The gazebo was situated on a small island reached via a small arched foot bridge.

Romantic me imagined the flirtations and meetings that must have happened there over the years.

Seems like the perfect setting for a lovers wintery tryst.

(The view from inside the gazebo...)

A little way over was a snow covered berm being used for a sledding run by two young boys.

I confess...I gave in to the sledding urge myself: I dropped on my back and raised my feet up. My knee length down jacket kept my back warm while my body coasted to the foot of the hill.

As I walked away I gave a shrug and a wave to the young mother who stood supervising her boys as they sledded.

No...once was enough...for now.

I trudge on through the snow and caught a glimpse of a Farris wheel in the distance.

I had no idea there were rides like that in the park...

Further along I came came to an enormous green house. A dog emerged and raced up to me giving me a bit of a scare. A woman came out and called for the dog, who gave me a sheepish doggy grin and wagged tail as if repentant for the earlier approach.The woman told me that the greenhouse served to grow plants for all the public parks, and that I was welcome to come inside some other day...it was just then 3:30, and the green house was closed for the day.

I could see small tables and chairs scattered amongst the geraniums; what a lovely place to spend some time with a friend over a cup of tea poured from a thermos on a winter's day.

A little further on was a lovely old house.

I cautiously approached the front door, not knowing if it was a private residence or part of the park's buildings.

Whew...I wasn't trespassing. It was a building built in the 1850's and is now owned by the State of Utah, and is used as a Museum of Utah Folk Art.

I was quite enchanted by the door handle. Isn't it a beauty?

The building was closed until April. I'll be jotting the opening date on to my calendar; can't wait to see all that's inside!

From the front porch I could view a fountain.

It appeared to be quite old...and I know it would make a lovely cooling splashy sound in summer.

If the house was built in 1850...I wonder how old the trees about it were? I shot these pictures with my camera pointing straight up.

At last I came across a map of Liberty park. I have visited Tracy Avery before; once on Christmas Day three years ago, and again with my parents a few weeks ago. Lots of construction is going on there, another visit will be made once all the work is done.

I was surprised to see that there was a swimming pool and tennis courts to be enjoyed some day as well. Liberty Park has more to offer than I had known.

Aesop's Corner? Turns out the Children's Play Area was donated by the Greek Community.It had an Olympic Theme, and lots of great play equipment.

There was a rubber mat like material beneath the equipment, which made for an interesting wobbly walking with all the covering snow.

Tempting....but what if I got stuck in the slide going down? I could freeze to death before anyone would find me.

Or worse...I'd be found, and 911 would be called to cut me free...I can see it all now in the newspaper.

Yish.

I'll leave that fun for a time when I am less bundled up in sweater and jacket and post Christmas treat chub as well.

Now I thought this was very cool: A xylophone made from wood! I tapped on the different boards and they sounded back with a clear chime like note.

More music could be made here...

And here. I imagine in summer the whole area is blasting with childish orchestration celebrating the sheer joy of music making.

Surrounding the play area was an obstacle course marked with tortoise and hare motif, and words of wisdom about endeavor and perserverance. Quite amusing to have the same motif on the sun dial as well.

Not all the play in the play park necessitated physical exertion. Several checker boards were scatted about for those who wished a more cerebral challenge. On this day I thought the challenge would really be to play the game without minding a frozen backside!

Liberty Park....I'll be back again for another look, perhaps on a warm spring day come April.

3 comments:

Such a splendid field trip and I didn't even have to move an inch. I really am amazed at the beauty all around you. I love how you are like a very intelligent child in a grown up body. I can imagine you must have been such a brilliant child .. full of curiosity with a constant need to learn.Lucky us .. I loved your poetic wording today. . .so delightful.

I'm Jill. I'm a librarian and milliner now living in Salt Lake City with my husband of 37 years and my three shelter adopted cats. I'm 60, was born and expected I would spent my whole life in San Diego, save for two years in Corvallis Oregon in college.
Then beginning in 1997, right after our youngest graduated from high school my husband and I began "empty nesting" on the move. We lived one year in Almenden CA (San Jose area), two years in Dallas TX and eight years on Houston TX before moving Salt Lake City in the fall of 2008.
I love it here, but counting on Heaven being my ultimate hometown! I do hope we will one day be neighbors there?
I have two adult children; a daughter in San Diego and a son (and daughter-in-law) who also live in Salt Lake City; two beloved grandsons, and parents who were born and still live in San Diego, and who read my blog every day.